A Year in Turkey

Life after Exchange…

I never could have imagined myself a rebound, or a returned exchange student, but the day has come. Veni, Vidi Vichi.

Returning has only enriched my experiences in Turkey, I’ve realized. A year abroad is the best and most life changing experiences because it’s just that-a year. Everyday is lived with the knowledge that you have fewer days to do whatever you plan to accomplish. If returning was not required, we wouldn’t be so active in trying to appreciate every day and every thing to it’s fullest.

This doesn’t stop when the plane returns the same route it took a year ago. However, I’ll stop or I shall say good night till it be marrow.

Simply, life is whatever we make of it. Turkey gave me direction and I wish all the new kids who have applied the best of luck.

I need to thank everyone who’s help add color to my life. While this list is not complete, I want to thank; The Kuroskys, Melissa Saxon, Goksin Akcali, Ayhan Semiz ve Ailesi, Zeynep Derece, Akcalar, my family for supporting me, D2440, D2440 ‘10-‘11 inbounds, Ataturk Lisesinde olan herkes, and Mme. Pritchard.

Thank you.

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Real life starts now. I’m sure that the future will be goodbyes and hellos, foreign lands, and new sights. As such, I plan to use this blog as a general travel blog from now. Turkey was just the beginning.

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Canım dilber şehir eşsiz sevgili izmir
Ulu çatalkaya, gökmavisi körfezi ,yeşil yamanaları, çeşitli bağlarınla
Evimin güzeli,inciler incisisin
Canım dilber şehir eşsiz sevgili izmir
Gurbette sensizim,  avare bir öksüzüm
Kalbim seni arar hep senin için çarpar sevgili izmirim..
Dünyayı dolastım, birçok kıtayı aştım güzelim izmir
Eşini aradım, heryeri taradım birtanem izmir
Daracık yolların, yiğit efelerinle
Körfezde mehtabın, denizde grubunla
Güzeller güzeli, dilberler dilberisin
Senden ayrılamam seni bırakamam sevgili izmir..canım izmir

İzmir, tatlı ve sevgili şehrim.
Bir gün şayet senden uzakta ölürsem,
Beni sana getirsinler..
Fakat mezarıma götürürlerken,
 ”Öldü” demesinler. “Uyuyor” desinler koynunda.. Tatlı İzmir’im.

- Dario Moreno

hasta

	Recently, I've gotten to experience another part of Turkish culture that not everyone gets the chance to. 
	My host dad had been having problems with his back ever since I moved in. It didn't get too severe until a few weeks ago when he took off work and went to get it checked by the doctor. The doctor immediately sent him to have surgery; one of his spinal discs needed to be adjusted. 
	My host mom called to tell me they wouldn't be home that night. I thought it was weird how many people called our house phone in the 5 hours I spent at home before my host brother and grandmother showed up (I eventually stopped answering because they were insistent I shared information that wasn't mine). When I talked to my host mom the next day she told me that more than 100 people had called her from midnight the previous day to 6 in the evening the next day. She then explained for the next month we'd have guests day and night. These guests were going to show up without telling us and we were expected to be ready for them, pastries, tea, a clean house, etc. 
	I didn't understand until I got home the next day from school. For those who don't know, I live in an apartment. It's a really nice place, but it's not big. I was surprised to see about 12 of our relatives sitting in our living room when I got back at 5. The rest of the night was talking to them, helping my host mom give them tea and pastries, and answering the door to people I had never heard about. In the next 4 days we had over 50 individual guests along with our close relatives who came more than three times. Everyones was coming to check on my host dad, following the Turkish tradition of bringing desserts or fruit juice. My mom repeatedly tried to convince me to not eat the traditional turkish breakfast of cheese, tomatoes, bread and jam and have the cake (it wasn't sweet) instead.
	This whole experience, while tiring for all of us, brought us closer as a family. Admist guests coming and going, we all had to do more to take care of my dad and the rest of our family. He will be able to leave the house for the first time in a month next Friday. In the meantime, were enjoying our last few days with the whole family, together, at home. 

Six Months

Not even six months ago I left everything; my comfort zone, language, and culture (yes, we really do have a culture in the US.) Today, I feel like I’ve lived in Turkey for most of my life. 

The first and most important thing is to say thank you once more to my parents. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me.

 After only 120 days Im not ready to admit that Im fluent in Turkish but its a weird feeling to speak a foreign tongue the entire day without realizing that you’re speaking it. Sometimes you feel your mind slip off in to another language until you come across a word you don’t know and abruptly have to change back to your first language or when you get confused and start writing English with vöwel harmonıy. 

Today reading 1984 made me think about languages (instead of saying better, why not say plusgood? excellent? doubleplusgood. Does having less/more words limit what you can think?) I caught a line on tv, ‘şimdi göz göre göre dalga geçiyorsun!’ which word for word means, ‘now eye according [to] according [to] wave passing!’ but I understood as, ‘now you’re  kidding around all of a sudden!’. How?

Next is a life lesson that we’ll all learn eventually: getting mad at someone else is only getting mad at yourself. Ghandi was right. You can be mad at someone for whatever reason, but the anger doesnt fix anything-I cant make you see what Ive seen nor can I make you want to. I can be as mad as I want but in the end I always end up using my words. 

Theres a story about a king, he’s on his deathbed and the only thing that can save him is the shirt of the happiest man in the world. After months of searching the king’s mens came across a field. There sat a man, by himself, claiming to be the happiest in the world. His only possession was a smile, ear to ear. 

This brings me back to a few months ago, standing at the terminal in the bus city station. Standing there in my pumas, levi jeans, express shirt, contact lens listening to my iPhone, I looked around to see if the bus was coming. I looked down, and then back up again. A little girl, no older than seven all dressed in pink was working her way around alone. She didnt hesitate to start digging in the garbage can next me and I will never forget the joy on the girl’s face when she found a half eaten sandwich. It makes you wonder how even though we have our smart phones, nice cars and warm houses we still manage to be so unhappy. 

A huge goal of the exchange program is bringing you to a realization I recently came to: people are not their governments. I’ve explained countless time that George Bush was not my fault and I don’t want any military involvement in the Middle East. Just because you’re born in to a country whose name might make people laugh it doesn’t make you a weird person. I met a girl from China the other and now regret every negative comment I made about her country. Not only are they real people too with real needs wants and lives, but we are incredibly stupid to fear them or think that the next war will be with them. As much as the sensationalist media wants you to think that the world views us as problem they’re only taking into account the governments, not their population - the real people on other side. 

As for Turkish Culture, I could talk forever. Turkey is an incredibly unique country with traditions coming from the Far East, Middle East, and Europe. The Mediterranean Culture is what really shocked me at first. Guys here think that personal space is something better violated than respected. They also really do speak with their hands (think Italians) which is something I didnt notice I was doing until my friend pointed out. 

My favorite part of the culture isn’t the food but the thoughts on food - you need to eat until you’re full and if you don’t God doesn’t love you. While I miss a diet of processed breakfast cereal, frozen burritos and sun chips its going to be hard to go back to them after a year of eating kebabs, pilav, and fresh bread from the bakery.  

I tried to write my general thoughts, if you have anything to ask/say click my ask box. 

iyi geceler